My Favorite Holiday Dessert: The Junk Drawer Cookie

by Charlotte on December 21, 2011 · 27 comments

I am to food bloggers what Iowa is to beachfront property. Be warned, the following photos were not taken in a light box and don’t even look all that good but do not be deceived by the shabbiness of my photog skills: these cookies are AMAZING. I didn’t make up this recipe. I didn’t even make this batch (Gym Buddy Allison did, curse her). And I may even be the last one on the planet to discover them. Behold:

Two Ritz crackers sandwiched around a layer of crunchy peanut butter and dipped in white Almond Bark topped with sprinkles. And it must be white Almond Bark (which isn’t white chocolate – trust me, I hate white chocolate) because there is something so delicious about that white crunchy coating. You can make them in 5 minutes. (And eat them in 5 seconds). So so good. Totally worth every single calorie.

Honestly they should not be this good. Crackers, PB and candy coating? What’s next, Cheez-whiz? They are this good. These cookies make me so happy I’m even willing to post a pic of me sans makeup in my PJs to show you the crazy joy on my face.

And for kicks, here’s a little preview of what the Gym Buddies and I did today! Do you see what they put up with from me? Sooo fun!

So tell me your favorite it-shouldn’t-be-this-yummy-but-it-is concoction! What’s your fave holiday dessert that is worth every single delish bite??

Written with love by Charlotte Hilton Andersen for The Great Fitness Experiment (c) 2011. If you enjoyed this, please check out my new book The Great Fitness Experiment: One Year of Trying Everythingfor more of my crazy antics and uncomfortable over-shares!

{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }

Katie December 21, 2011 at 10:55 pm

My favorite snack before I had to give up gluten, was ritz with pb smeared on them. My niece, bless her, still loves them. I also used to make a similar cookie – with wheat thins and dipped in milk chocolate…they tasted just like butterfingers!

I’ve always wondered what almond bark actually is. Its crunchy, huh? Interesting.
Katie recently posted..Cookies: Ginger cookies (GF or not)

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Kathryn December 22, 2011 at 12:30 am

Unsalted nut butter spread on a nori sheet and rolled up. Delish and totally worth the vomit noises my housemate makes when I eat it. I will not be deterred.

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Miz December 22, 2011 at 6:03 am

happy happy holidays Charlotte.
Im so grateful you are in my life.
Miz recently posted..I need your .02 (and your words. I know youve gots words…)

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Naomi/Dragonmamma December 22, 2011 at 6:37 am

So what the heck is white almond bark and where do you get it?

You know your gym buddies love it!
Naomi/Dragonmamma recently posted..Month is whizzing by

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Meg D December 26, 2011 at 11:33 am

Yes! What is it/where do you get it??

And I agree with the comment about the name of the cookie. How about sweet ‘n salties? Of course, tasting one would help the naming process…

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Charlotte December 26, 2011 at 2:55 pm

I think it’s at any grocery store! I’ve also seen it called Candy Quik in the baking aisle. Don’t look at the ingredients though. Just warning you now!

And thanks for the suggestion – I went ahead and changed the name of the cookies!!

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MadameUgly December 22, 2011 at 8:19 am

Brownie chocolate chip cookie mashups.

Make a brownie mix and put it in the baking pan. Then drop pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough into the brownie batter. Bake them up and then just TRY not to eat the whole pan.

Want it “worse”? Toss the mashups in on top of bowl of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge.

(yeah, this is a treat reserved only for the most special of ocassions–my birthday)

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Leslie Goldman December 22, 2011 at 8:39 am

“Ghetto cookie” – ha! /you said it, not me. The sweet/salty combo sounds insanely delish. I’ll text you my address so you can ship me a batch.
Leslie Goldman recently posted..Fear? There’s an app for that!

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Asia December 25, 2011 at 10:53 pm

Ah, so then you know it’s a complete offensive term? “ghetto” is not an adjective, it’s a noun (and more specifically, a place)– and if it is to be used as an adjective, it should describe the people who benefit from the existence of such places and highlight the moral bankruptcy of the social practice.

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Charlotte December 25, 2011 at 11:51 pm

I wondered about that. It seemed to me like the term has grown to encompass more than that definition over the past few years (but maybe I shouldn’t take my vocab lessons from Saturday Night Live?). I certainly didn’t mean to offend anyone – I’d love a suggestion as to what word would be more appropriate. Thanks Asia!

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Geosomin December 22, 2011 at 9:59 am

MM. I just made a big batch of sour cream sugar cookies. Soft cakey yumminess that I have to ice up before christmas. THe ghetto cookie sounds awesome./ If I eat my way through all the sour cream cookies I will start on those…he heh
Merry Christmas :)

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Charlotte December 22, 2011 at 10:25 am

I’m mosty weighing in to say that in my world there is no such thing as a holiday dessert. If it’s good at one time of the year, it’s good whenever you fancy it. Yes, even if it’s Christmas pudding in April. Yes, yes I would. Now, if the shops would just accept this and sell me chocolate-covered rum n’ raisin marzipan bars year-round…
Charlotte recently posted..Hello world, and Rum & Raisin units

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Rose December 22, 2011 at 12:25 pm

Those cookies sound….interesting. Not gunna lie, they sound a little scary.

I love all the silly gym buddy pictures you take. They make me jealous that none of my friend have the drive and the proximity to play in the gym with me.
Rose recently posted..Bad To The Bone

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Marcy December 22, 2011 at 2:51 pm

I have made these before, and they are Yummy. You can make them with Chcocolate Coating also. My favorite holiday treat is “Grandma Cookies”, a recipe that my husband’s Grma used to make. Sort of like Snickerdoodles, but made in bars with Lemon Extract added. Yummy ……

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Alyssa (azusmom) December 22, 2011 at 5:50 pm

Oh.
Oh my.
Those look SOOOOOO good!

My mother-in-law eats coconut ice cream with fresh avocado. She swears it’s delicious, but I haven’t worked up the courage to try it.

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Jody - Fit at 54 December 22, 2011 at 6:00 pm

As you know Charlotte – I LOVE COOKIES! These don’t look ghetto to me! YUM! I can’t keep any crackers in the house. Got addicted as a fat kid – Ritz, wheat thins, triscuits, cheese-its. Nope – no bringing them in here BUT the cookie sounds good to me!

Have a wonderful one Charlotte !!!!!!
Jody – Fit at 54 recently posted..Breathe – You Will Never Live This Again

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Margot December 23, 2011 at 2:23 am

Hi Charlotte, since I read your blog almost every day, Monday to Friday, I just wanted to wish you Happy Holidays! and keep up the good work!

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Cort The Sport December 23, 2011 at 5:27 am

Charlotte, that skirt is the CUTEST. I think I need to start wearing things like that for the shock value when I meet with my hard-core trainer!!
Cort The Sport recently posted..Winter break family crosstraining

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Dr. J December 23, 2011 at 7:55 am
Heather Eats Almond Butter December 23, 2011 at 11:37 am

My mom makes those, but I’m not sure if she uses almond bark or white chocolate. I wouldn’t know as I’m always too busy eating her black bottom cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese) and her sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting. She makes the best sugar cookies every Christmas.
Heather Eats Almond Butter recently posted..A Small Favor To Ask

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Robyn December 27, 2011 at 9:41 pm

My mom makes cookies similar to those for Thanksgiving. They have Ritz crackers, but she uses creamy PB and dips them in chocolate. They taste a lot like Tagalongs Girl Scout cookies. It’s a safe bet that I gain about 2 pounds just from eating them each year. :-/

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kat December 29, 2011 at 5:18 am

Totally off topic, but \I am curious that your muslim friend participates in a christmas card photo-op. Does she not see it as a religious holiday?

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Charlotte December 29, 2011 at 9:09 pm

That’s an interesting question and one I’ve asked her about (I certainly wouldn’t coerce her into doing anything against her principles!). I don’t want to speak for her but basically she said that she’s happy to be a part of holiday festivities (one of the Islamic Eid holidays was not long ago). While lights and ribbons are typical Christmas accoutrements, there isn’t any religious significance in them and I am careful to write “Happy Holidays from the Gym Buddies” on the cards. She is also really mellow about this kind of thing – she never is offended when someone wishes her Merry Christmas and she appreciates it when we wish her “Eid mubarak” during their celebrations. She’s also quite comfortable answering questions about her hijab (head scarf), clothing, food etc. I’ve forwarded this on to her to see if she has anything to add but I wanted you to know that this was not overlooked in my planning:)

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Gym Buddy Krista December 29, 2011 at 9:57 pm

Hi Kat,

Charlotte answered the question pretty well. I and my family do not celebrate Christmas. This is not because we don’t believe in Jesus or the miracle of his birth, we simply do not celebrate his birth…as we do not celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammed either. I don’t have any problems participating in the Gym Buddy Holiday Card as it is not a religious post. If it was accompanied with something I didn’t believe in, I would opt out. I also graciously accept any holiday goodies that are give to me…happily! I am not shy about my religion, and most people don’t offer gifts or anything during Christmas as they know I am Muslim and don’t celebrate it; however, my religion states that if you get a gift, for any reason, return one in kind. Therefore, when my gym buddies give me “holiday” gifts, I try to reciprocate…but I do not initiate.
I hope this helps and if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

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Charlotte December 29, 2011 at 10:02 pm

Thanks girl!! I love you!!!

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Gym Buddy Krista December 29, 2011 at 10:45 pm

Mwwwwaaahh!

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Cactus Facts January 1, 2012 at 1:13 pm

Wow these things look amazing. I will be adding them to my to do list. What is an easy recipe?

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